New pandemic skillset? Here are some things we didn’t realize we could do (until we did)

Have you tried bench-pressing a case of bottled water? Have you dusted off the old sewing machine to make a mask? Cut your own hair?

In normal times, you might never attempt these things, but amid the coronavirus pandemic, normal went out the window a long time ago. With people cooped up in their homes and many businesses closed, the country is being forced to adapt to this unprecedented situation.

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As a result, many people are finding out there’s plenty of stuff they didn’t realize they could do until now. Here are some things people are learning to do on the fly.

Use what to work out?

With gyms closed across the country, you have to get a little creative if you want to stay in shape. While you can always do push-ups or sit-ups, sometimes you have to think outside the box if you want to take it to the next level — especially if you’re a professional athlete trying to gear up for the season.

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Cressey Sports Performance, which focuses on training for high-level athletes, posted a series of pictures on Instagram showing their clients utilizing everything at their disposal to workout. Training in his living room, one minor league pitcher used a 12-pack of bottle water for a kneeling overhead push.

Another pitcher decided to push it a step further, using an empty propane tank to replicate kettlebell swings. If you’re feeling bold enough to try this, heed the advice of Cressey Sports Performance and make sure the propane tank is empty.

Bartending

Listen, sometimes you just need to take the edge off after stressful day at work. And since bars are closed across the country, you’ve got to serve as your own bartender. Cracking open a beer or pouring a glass of wine clearly isn’t the most complex task, but some people are upping their game amid the lockdown.

Longtime actor Stanley Tucci recently showed off some of his bartending skills in an Instagram post that quickly went viral. The Academy Award-nominated performer demonstrated how to make a Negroni cocktail in a three-minute video. So, if you want to flex your drink-making muscles, give it a shot. As Homer Simpson once said, “To alcohol — the cause, and solution, to all of life’s problems.”

Cutting your own hair

Somewhere along the line, everyone is going to reach their breaking point. With barbershops and hair salons closed across the country, the nagging issue of what to do with your hair is going to pop up. While cutting your own hair isn’t usually recommended, many people are throwing caution to the wind and just going for it.

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With various hair trimming guides online, all you need is a pair of scissors or clippers if you’re ready to take the plunge. In an Instagram video, Oprah shared the feelings of many people witnessing these amateur haircuts as she laughed throughout a clip of her partner trimming someone’s hair.

Sewing

With many businesses requiring customers to wear masks inside stores, sewing has experienced a major resurgence in 2020. Across the world, the demand for sewing machines has soared with people trying to craft their own masks. In addition, sewing repair shops have also seen a major uptick in business

Baking bread

As restaurants remain closed for sit-down eating, people have naturally begun cooking more frequently. During this time, baking bread has become one of the most popular kitchen activities.

In fact, people are baking bread at such an incredibly high rate that there’s actually a yeast shortage across the country. One manufacturing executive told Slate there’s been as much as a 600 percent increase in the demand for yeast.

Doing your nails — and your dog’s

With nail salons falling under the shutdown order, many have been forced to call an audible and do this task at home. That also holds true for dogs. No, dogs don’t go to nail salons, but if you’re trying to avoid trips to the groomer or the vet, you’ve got to handle your pup’s grooming at home.